Being in the Inner Circle
by Treesh Aradia
Summary: They are now older and closer.


**Title**: Being in the Inner Circle  
**Author**: Treesh Aradia  
**Rating**: PT  
**Disclaimer**: Not mine  
**Spoilers**: post "Crimson"   
**Summary**: They are now older and closer.

**A/n**: A new lighter piece to balance out Through A Mirror Darkly. I need a break from the dark, dark place I've put them all in.

**Double Doh!**

She woke up to the sounds of someone tapping the glass of her balcony screen. Knowing exactly who her night visitor is, Lois Lane expelled a deep sigh and a grumpy mumble that sounded like "gaddang it Smallville, not everyone needs only about a minute of beauty sleep."

Reluctantly crossing the threshold of her bedroom towards the living room, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and wearily unlocked the clear glass to let Clark in.

"Hi" he said sheepishly trying to get his red cape to stop fluttering in the night breeze by capturing it, "I know you said I can call only if there's an emergency, like: the whole world is under duress or if kryptonite rocks are falling to earth, but –"

Lois raises her hand to stop him "Wait. Let me guess, Lori threw you out again?"

If Lois did not know her long time friend was Superman, and didn't have the chance to see him at his most idiotic as Clark Kent pre-man-of-steel, she would have been surprised at the goldfish-boggled-eye look he was currently spotting. Not the calm collected hero disposition he usually wore in public.

He laughed sheepishly. "Not so much threw me out as she did lock me out."

She raised an eyebrow at him. Now was not the time to play semantics, she was after all exhausted from her late night work fest at the Planet. Honestly, she cannot help but be slightly irritated at Clark. She did tell him to fess up to Lori about being more than a bespectacled bumbling reporter, especially since he seemed pretty serious about his lovely if not slightly snobby girlfriend. A lot like his previous lady love, now that she thought about it…but she was digressing from the point. The point being he needed some direction… just 'cause he was able to save everyone on the planet, run like the wind, cause some serious laser damage, at times Clark really needed a good chide and kick in the A!

Thankfully Clark had a friend like her inspire him with words of wisdom. And maybe sometimes even extractor of the stick stuck up his bum…

"If I were anything but nice" off Clark's own raised eyebrow, Lois forged on "I would say I TOLD YOU SO." With that she thumps him on his head, and then wincing as she forgets he's not exactly a normal boy.

Clark rolls his eyes and takes her injured hand checking for broken bones. None. "I just need a place to crash for the night. I'll explain to her in the morning how I forgot to turn my computer off and had to go back to the office."

"So that's like what, the fifth time you've used that lame-o excuse? Either she's going to think you're having an affair or that you seriously have some office obsession 'cause you're really watching porn there. Either way Clarkie, you're doomed. Just tell her."

Frustrated at his friend's need to pester him, Clark kept silent, with a tiny frown between his eyes.

"Oh fine, be petulant. You've really regressed from broody to kiddish! Toto, we're not in Smallville anymore!"

"So can I stay the night?" He asked, turning to face his friend, where they were both currently sitting.

"Oh alright! You can get your usual sleeping gear from my closet. But tell her soon." Lois said, ruffling his intricate hair do and earning herself a little growl in return. She loved that she was able to get him out of his gloomy funk, even if he just reverted back again the next second. Oh well, even better, she could do it all over again.

"Are you sure there won't be anymore full monty surprises for me?" Clark asked, shivering at the memory. He could still remember Lois' silent smirk as he got the fright of his life upon entering her room and finding, well finding her bed fellow there.

"Clark that was months ago, and I told you, Richard and I are finito."

"Just checking."

In fact, Richard and she called it quits after she told him about the Clark Kent sleepovers. He was really quite intolerable and Lois did not have the patience to correct him on what he assumed was a friendship plus benefits. Lois thought him parochial and slightly paranoid especially since it was near impossible to 'benefit with Clark' if Richard was in the other room. Even she wasn't that big of a risk taker! But what fun that would be if it were…oh Lois shut it! Going there meant lots of problems and awkward situations.

Shaking off her disturbing ideas Lois found herself focusing instead at Clark's bent position, and very toned and defined ass. Double DOH!

"Hurry up already! And don't you dare think of stealing back that plaid shirt." Lois grumbled as she settled back into bed.

Clark Kent simply smirked a goodnight and went to sleep on what he now called, his couch. Things certainly seem to have remained the same as when they were back in Smallville.

Not.

o

o

o

**2. Dish Rags and By-lines**

Clark Kent let out a frustrated sigh. The morning has been quite an adventure, apart from flying to the opposite end of the universe to save a couple of Bangladeshi's from a valley flood, he also had to bear witness to Lois trying to cook him an omelette. They both ended up getting singed by the little spurts of fire and oil leaping out from the pan. And no, he had no idea how that happened. But the thing that really got to him was how contented he was to do things with her. Mayhap it was stemmed from their close proximity with each other in Smallville – she did after all live with him for a spell – but Clark knew it was more than that. He wasn't that 'petulant' little child anymore, he had eyes now, and more of his brain in tact, freed from his 'Lana-Coma' (another one of Lois' helpful little phrases).

If only he could reconcile his feelings with Lori, which was the major cause of his inner disgruntled musings.

After a hearty breakfast with Lois at the coffee shop down her block, their waitress - they had one after patronising it for a few years though she has never once shared her opinion of them till today- had reprimanded Clark for being lazy and demanded he put a ring on 'this fine broad' before she gets taken from under his nose and then left before he could ask for his extra marshmallows in his hot chocolate… but he was digressing… the thing was after breakfast he went back to his apartment and saw Lori's things had been packed and Lori herself awol.

No note, nonewhatsoever!

Somehow it wasn't as frustrating as knowing that he was more miffed over how she just dumped the dish rag in the sink instead of hanging it on the rack. And that in itself was frustrating to Clark.

Was he a bad boyfriend? Sure he had the usual abrupt errands to run (saving the world had it downs with the ups), but he had always assumed that once he was in a relationship all those _lovey dovey_ feelings would come to him naturally.

And here he was worrying about a dish rag instead of the obvious indicator that his girlfriend was planning to move out.

But the dish rag…oh it bothered him! And he never saw Lois doing that. For all her misfortunes at not being endowed with the most fundamental cooking skills known to man, she had always managed to keep her place looking quite spick and span. Dish rag on a rack.

In actuality, Lois would probably quite the epitome of what Clark saw in a girlfriend if he ever got his blinders off and took a look at how he was already kind of in a relationship with her.

But no, he was still fazed by the thoughts of his ineptness at being the paradigm of a good boyfriend. Passionate feelings were essentially required. Ones he had yet to feel for Lori. But he loved her, or at least he was attracted to her. She was bold and brash and yet easy to live with, apart from the dish rag and other smaller yet nit picky to Clark issues. She never had any of those let's ball-bust-Smallville moments. She was contented being brash and bold in certain areas that Clark could adore from a distance. Like a nice Barbie Doll to his real life Ken. However, now that he had come to analogise it as such, he kind of thought so were their – or his – feelings for each other. Plastic.

So Clark simply sighed again.

"Smallville! Get your head out of your butt. We have a story to run, and your little ponderings over what Lori's currently doing isn't going to help us nab the pathological public goods kleptomaniac. We need better cases or we won't get headlines! And dang it, I want to be the best. And having you ride on my coattails doing nothing isn't helping!"

Perry was still testing them, and they were as of yet still in the little league. It doesn't matter that both Lane and Kent had managed to get several good scoops recently –all Superman related – Perry wanted to know for sure that their skills for investigative reporting wasn't just the 'triumph of lucky guesses'.

"I was not thinking about Lori!"

Lois Lane, Clark Expert (especially in all things brooding and pouts), knew he would catch that little line, and not the bits about wanting to be great. So predictable. Here's another easy chance to rile him up.

"Oh really? You're not? So those extra sighs were for what? The inequality and structural forces that made our poor little subject a thief?

"Honestly Clark, it's ok for you to be enamoured and in the throes of your Lori fever. At least it will help assuage those idiot rumours running about the office! However, keep your Lori thoughts to a minimum for now. I want a by-line, on the front page. So you better be working for it!"

It being Lois, naturally. Clark rolled his eyes. What a hellion. If Lois wasn't so darn pretty when she was angry and of course if she wasn't his best friend - aside from Chloe, Pete and surprisingly Lana - he would just throttle her, or leave her in a spelling ditch. "I was just thinking about the dish rag in my kitchen, oh great Lane. And instead of worrying about what I am doing, worry about the leads you have. I see you've been playing solitaire the whole of today?"

Lois gasped, shocked at the accusal (oh alright truth, so help her, she was bored! And she worked tons last night) . "You cheater! You're not" at this she leaned close and hissed "to use your _krypto mojo_ in the office!"

Clark eyed her deadpanned. "Oh, but it's ok to x-ray the inventory to see if Cheryl was taking stationery out or if she was playing tonsil hockey with Steve from lifestyle?"

"Oh you poor callow farmboy, we needed to get back at her for spreading the rumour that we live together."

With that Lois did an about turn, apparently heading to the inventory to get some staple bullets. It was only a coincidence that Cheryl happened to have gone in five minutes before, after Todd from Sports.

Clark Kent merely shook his head and… thought about dish rags some more.

o

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o

**3. Nice Misses and Non Kisses**

_BespectacledOne has entered chat room._

_Mad Dog Sailor Girl_: I think Cheryl has set her succubus filaments on you.

_BespectacledOne_: Taking a break from Solitaire then Lo?

_Mad Dog Sailor Girl has sent you a nudge_

_Mad Dog Sailor Girl_: Seriously dorkus, are you not at all worried? She's a man-eater! No pun intended. OMG like right now, as she's flirting with Charlie, she's taking surreptitious looks at you, like you're today's special.

_BespectacledOne_: Perry really needs to give us a good story. Your neuroticism is starting to show. And she is not looking at me. Ok, wait, is she winking?

Mad Dog Sailor Girl: Ha! I told you so!

_Mad Dog Sailor Girl has sent you a nudge_

_BespectacledOne has sent you a nudge_

_You may not send a nudge that often _

_Mad Dog Sailor Girl_: As much as I miss childish Clarkie from our Smallville epoch, I cannot say I miss this petty nudge thing.

o

o

o

As Lois focuses and prepares for another nudge fest - yes, she admits she loves starting it and nudging Clark into irritation (hey! She wasn't in Smallville and couldn't exactly bust his chops all day about his Lana Coma) - she fails to see Clark walk around their desks to stand next to her.

"You started it Lo!" He sneakily and cheekily whispers into her ear, hearing her shocked yelp.

"Gawd Clark, scare me into an aneurysm why don't you! Not everyone has invulnerability schmuck!"

As he watches in appreciation how flushed Lois looks, he suspects is due to his close proximity to her, it is Clark's turn to fail to see a surprise attack.

His eyebrows make a wide arch as a he feels a sharp pinch at his bum. Turning frantically at the culprit, and feeling a tad bit disappointed it wasn't Lois paying him back, he finds himself faced with the scariest scenario known to man (and Kryptonian): Cheryl!!!!

"Hey Clark, I was wondering if you had staple refills."

At this, Lois rolls her eyes. Staple refills? How dense does Cheryl think the whole office was? And what was Perry thinking hiring her! Maybe she got to the Chief too…stop it Lane! Stop that train of thought lest you want to forever remember Perry entwined in the inventory with…STOP IT!

"Oh um, no. They're in the inventory room." Please leave me alone.

"Oh can you be a dear and help me with them. They're right at the top shelf and you're really tall Clark..." Cheryl trailed off her eyes wandering to where his eyes wasn't.

Widening his already large, surprised eyes, Clark hurries to think of an excuse.

"Uhhhh-"

"Actually Clark and I have to meet a source now. You can ask Steve again. You did last Thursday didn't you? And I distinctly remember him moving the staples to the top shelf, at your request. Ok got to go, Bye! Come on Smallville!"

Lois to the rescue!!

o

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o

As both of them left, Cheryl was left unamused and frankly, seriously confused. When did Lois ever hear that conversation she had with Steve, they were in the inventory, with a locked door! And the audacity of having Steve in the inventory with her…again. She already had Steve!

Cheryl grumbled as she watched Lois take off with the delectable if not slightly dorky Clark Kent. Maybe the rumours she started were true after all and they did have a thing.

She wasn't surprised if they really were living together and did couple-esque things like have boring silly talks and hang outs with their mutual friends. And silly flirting. Dang it, she was supposed to do the flirting!

o

o

o

"Thanks Lois! I owe you one."

Lois gapped at him. "Uh huh Smallville, you owe me a gazillion. I saved you from a fate worse than death you know. That deserves like a gazillion I-owe-U's, not to mention all that free sleepovers…" She trailed off halfway, watching Clark watch her with that secret look of his – the one where she felt was a cross between wonderment and irritation.

He takes a step toward her, right hand cupping her cheek, smiling that mega-wattage smile at her, head bent towards hers...in the middle of the street...

"Clark! Wake up, we're skiving work. Let's do something productive, like you treating me to a vanilla latte." Lois said, pulling away from the sheer magnetism of Clark's presence, panicking at the implications of their potential actions.

She wanted it, oh so badly make no mistake, and she kind of knows he wanted it too, but impulsive kisses always got her into trouble (V day with a certain out of character Clark/ Kal all those years ago, Green Arrow Clark…). And the fact that Lori wasn't just a restaurant name at the corner of the street also had some importance.

Lastly, she did not want her first real kiss with Clark to be in the middle of the street.

Smiling at the slightly bewildered look Clark had, she turns hurriedly and walks toward the nearest Coffee Bean.

o

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o

Clark watched her walk ahead, grumbling about how being with her in itself, and what more wanting to kiss her, was kind of productive too. In fact it was much, much more productive, he could think of a million beneficial outcomes a kiss from her would do to him. His dreams were proof.

But as it were, Clark merely shook his head and followed her trail.

o

o

o

**4.Tekken me this. Tekken me That.**

They skipped the rest of the day choosing to play hookie instead, the interim of which were spent making short phone calls to the Daily Planet where they, with their powers of journalistic manipulation, updated Perry about their big lead on Metro's klepto.

"Jin Kazama wins!!"

Currently, they were spending their time at Lois's where her Playstation 2 – affectionately named Phoebe – was. The tv screen was currently displaying a very ripped, shirtless Japanese dude with spiked hair in a victory pose, grandeur and legs akicking, while a humbled Sarah dressed in tight fitting (is there any other alternative? I think not!) Silver micro mini and tanky was standing at the side, arms hanging like a gorilla's, meant to depict the style of a quintessential non-bad-ass loser!

"I just kicked your Sarah's ass Smallville! Who's the biAtch now?"

Clark frowns, recalling that not so long ago, Sara was Lois's fight choice only to be replaced with his own Jin's as Lois suddenly realises how prudent it was to always switch during a 2 player match. He mumbles cheater, only to have Lois raise her eyebrows while narrowing her eyes.

"What did you just say?"

Clark innocently holds up his hands, in a posture that bespoke his 'flabbergast'. Just as she turned away to put in another game – RPG this time around, they had like the whole weekend to finish Resident Evil 4 – Clark smirks and calls her out again. "Cheater"

Lois turns, "Ok, I definitely heard that. I am not a cheater. Just because you were foolish enough to trade Tekken characters doesn't make me a cheater."

"You didn't win that fairly either and certainly not by being the more skilled fighter."

Lois gasps, shock etched into the corners of her lips and eyes. "I dare you to say that again. Need I remind you, I have kicked many a person's butt with Tekken! Take it back!"

Just as he was about to repeat for her sake, Lois jumps him, yelling "YOU ARE SO DEAD MAN WALKING!!"

Laughing they land on the floor, arms and limbs tangled in their wrestling match.

"Erm, Lois, hi it's Lori. I was just wondering if Clark's there."

They both stop trying to one up each other, instead chose to listen to Lois's answering machine. They hear Lori's sigh.

"Well, I suppose he's either with you at your place or with you at work. Well, Just tell him to call me whenever he can actually take the time off to, we have to discuss certain housing arrangements."

Clark bites the bottom of his lips, worrying it as Lois eyes him from below his hold of her on the floor.

This is awkward. They both realise at the same time.

With as much care as possible, they both extract themselves from each other, Lois unhooking her legs at his hip, and Clark moving further away from Lois, breaking the hip to chest contact.

"Ok, well thanks. And Bye."

And just like that, Clark and Lois both seem to be to aware of the new opportunities that lay ahead of them.

Clark steps forward, surprisingly the more daring of the two.

"Uhhhhh" Lois utters, trying to calm an already tense moment "you better call her back." She turns, heading to the kitchen "you want some coffee?"

And for the second time that day, Clark Kent felt the proverbial kryptonite bullet in his chest. Getting shot down twice in a day did not a happy Clark Kent make.

"Hey Lo, you're right. I should talk to her. But not over the phone. I'll head out first ok?"

Lois stops, hearing the dejected tone in Clark's voice. So soon? She whines inwardly, and then stares at the start menu of Resident Evil 4. "Well, you're coming back right? The gang's coming over to play it till the finish."

Clark ponders over it, deciding already that he probably would. He couldn't stand the thought of getting rejected by her, but he also knew what he couldn't stand more than that was not seeing her as much as he could. "Yeah, I'll bring dinner back."

Lois smiles, relief in her gut. "Ok then! I'll see you later."

For now, they were lucky enough to avert the storm clouds.


End file.
